Rhodiola: Herbal Music to My Ears
by Shayne Foley

Chronic stress clearly plays a significant role in the cause of many of today’s chronic degenerative diseases. As a result, much focus has naturally come to rest on those herbs which modify or attenuate our response to stress.

Simply stated, stress is your response to an interaction which disturbs your balance or homeostasis. Adaptogens help to bolster general resistance to stress, whether the stress is of physical, psychological, or biological origin. By definition, adaptogens also normalize function, in a non-specific manner. This means that we can’t really sum up the action of the herb by describing a single, particular mechanism.

Well-known adaptogens include, Panax Ginseng, American Ginseng, Eleuthero, Schisandra, and Ashwaganda. Another powerful adaptogen that is gaining popularity here in North America is Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea). The rose-scented, rose-colored root of Rhodiola is, energetically speaking, considered to be the ‘coolest’ or least stimulating of the popular adaptogens. This means that Rhodiola may be a better choice for someone who gets too ‘energized’ or stimulated from Chinese Ginseng, since Rhodiola is ‘cooler’ and more calming.*

Reports of Rhodiola’s medicinal use date back to Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica in 77 C.E.. Documented traditional benefits throughout Asia, Scandinavia, and the former Soviet Union, include enhanced endurance, stamina, fertility, longevity, and workplace productivity. Rhodiola is also considered valuable in reducing fatigue, depression, and the general adaptative response. Dr. Hans Selye, who pioneered stress research in the U.S., essentially said that there are three phases to the human stress response; alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Many of us today are deep in the resistance phase, looking down the road toward exhaustion.

The body’s response to stress usually involves, to some degree or another, activation of what is known as the Hypothalmus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The hormone-secreting tissues of the HPA axis communicate with one another via a complex network of circulatory and nervous tissues. The connections between the tissues of the hypothalmus, pituitary, and adrenal glands might be seen as belonging to an intricate stringed musical instrument. As is the case with any stringed instrument, the more strings you have the more complex a sound you can generally make. Which strings you influence, how much you move them, and how often you move them will also make a difference, as will the original resting tension of the string (the tighter the string the higher the pitch, right?). Imagine if you will that stress strikes the strings of the HPA axis, releasing a chord or set of notes peculiar to that stress. Of course, eventually the chord fades and the strings return to whatever their state was before being struck. The problem with stress is that the more often you play the strings and the harder you play them, the longer it takes for the strings to return to their natural state and the longer the stress chord plays. Eventually most of us walk around like individual stress-induced one-person-bands, consisting of a continual low hum with a good scattering of erratic notes. Adaptogens basically help maintain your instrument and increase the ability of your strings (the HPA axis and other processes) to better handle the rigor of being played. They help prevent an exaggerated response to stress and assist in your return to a balanced restful state once stress has been encountered. You could say that adaptogens are a tune-up for your organismic orchestra (ok, enough of the music metaphor). Finally, it’s important to remember that a stressor is not always negative. In fact, some of the biggest stressors that you have in your life may be things you enjoy doing.

It’s no surprise that modern science is, in many cases, reconfirming the numerous traditional applications of Rhodiola. Areas of continuing scientific research include Rhodiola’s adaptogenic (anti-stress), nervous system, cardiovascular, antioxidant, hormone, and anti-carcinogenic effects. In particular, Rhodiola’s reproductive benefits appear promising. In addition to animal studies, human trials indicate that Rhodiola helps to restore menses in women with Amenorrhea (loss of menstruation) and that it may also enhance female fertility. In men, Rhodiola appears to benefit Erectile Dysfunction and/or Premature Ejaculation. It has been shown to increase work capacity in healthy, but inactive men. It increases the nervous system’s control over heart function. It is a powerful antioxidant. It appears to possess some antidepressant activity. And the list goes on. Hopefully, future research will provide a more complete appreciation of just how Rhodiola is exerting its broad range of positive influence.

Meanwhile, regardless of how Rhodiola imparts its benefits - one thing’s for sure - this amazing rose-scented adaptogen is definitely music to my ears.* For more information about the differences between adaptogens, listen to the Energy and Emotion Interview with Ed Smith by following this link: Energy & Emotion Interview.